1. Field of the Invention
This invention refers to a complete safety system applicable to construction sites of the type that consist of a number of support pieces with tubular configuration, intended to be fixed permanently to the structure of the construction by incorporating them into the frame and/or by welding them to the metal structure of the frame, leaving one of the openings of these tubular parts accessible.
2. Description of the Related Art
The construction of structures presents specific problems in terms of worker protection, particularly of carpenters and form setters, as their work takes place during the construction process and there are construction areas in which it is particularly difficult to install suitable protective measures. This problem also exists when repair or maintenance work is taking place on the finished construction, as it is often necessary to use scaffolding, lifelines or other systems for securing harnesses for the attachment of workers, hoists or specific apparatus, such as for the external cleaning of windows or facade enclosures. Structures do not usually have appropriate equipment for the secure and reliable support of these elements.
At present, these problems are resolved specifically and individually, using various non-standard elements, so that the anchors or supports used to install a specific protection or support element cannot be adapted to other, different elements.
For example, in the field of construction, widespread use is made of safety nets to prevent workers falling long distances, with these nets and their supports frequently fixed by cords to the columns or structure of the building. The fixing points for safety cables for form setters are fixed to metal posts that are mounted on sleeves or supports built into the concrete or soldered to the metal structure of the structure under construction. In other cases, these cables are fixed to posts that have a perforated plate at the lower end so that they can be screwed on to the frame, or support clamps that grip onto a floor of the frame.
Protective canopies to prevent rubble or other materials falling down to the pavement below are usually positioned using a number of horizontal brackets positioned to jut out and fixed using screws and/or welded to the frame or to the facade of the building on which work is being carried out, with the edges of the consecutive plates of the cover then fixed onto the abovementioned brackets. This leads to a high level of instability, with the consequent risk of falling of the plates that have been screwed/welded in a jutting out position and the resultant fall of the materials that have accumulated on them.
At present, to fix certain of these elements, such as support posts, safety cables and lifelines, support pieces in tubular form are used. These are fixed permanently to the structure, allowing the attachment of a specific safety element.
Some examples of this type of device are described in the utility models 200101433 and 200302846, which have support pieces that are fixed permanently to the structure of the construction and that allow the exclusive fixing of safety guards or harnesses.
These devices therefore provide specific solutions to concrete problems during the construction process, but do not provide sufficient versatility to solve the variety of problems that emerge as the work is being carried out and after it is complete, during maintenance and repair work, external cleaning, etc., such as the possibility of fitting safety nets, suspended scaffolding or canopies to protect pedestrians from falling materials or tools.
Specifically in the utility model 200302846, safety guard bars are fixed to a support that partially emerges from the inbuilt support piece, to which it is fixed using an internal bolt.
In this case, the use of inbuilt support pieces can constitute a problem for worker safety, particularly during repair and/or building conservation tasks, as the strength of the mounting of the safety guard bar depends on internal pieces (supports and bolt) the state of preservation of which cannot be checked.
In the case of the utility model 200101433, the safety guard railing is fixed to the inbuilt support piece using an end tooth which is inserted into a cavity to the back of the support and which is immobilised in this position with a “U”-shaped wedge that is also inserted into the support and fixed using an external screw.
In this case, the mounting of the safety guard involves significant risk for the worker, as he or she must go beyond the frame in order to insert the edge of the bar into the front of the support piece and then for the positioning of the wedge and the tightening of the screw. In addition, the safety guard itself is moved towards the edge of the frame, which obviously means that it provides insufficient safety protection.
Other patents describing the closest subject matter provide for a number of more or less complicated features that fail to solve the problem in an efficient and economical way. None of these patents suggest the novel features of the present invention.